NCCU surpasses $7.2 million mark with annual giving campaign

DURHAM — North Carolina Central University (NCCU) exceeded its $7.2 million goal for the 2016-17 annual giving campaign.

NCCU completed the fundraising program with gifts and commitments totaling about $7,235,834. More than 7,000 contributed to the campaign, including 564 first-time donors to the university.

The $7.23 million included a $1 million planned gift from the estate of Jill Hamilton, wife of NCCU Board of Trustee Chairman George Hamilton. The future bequest will benefit the university’s new School of Business.

For NCCU students, successful fundraising means wider availability for need-based financial aid and scholarships. The contributions will also be used to support faculty needs and research efforts.

“Thanks to our generous contributors, NCCU continues to advance in providing high quality education to students,” said NCCU Chancellor Johnson O. Akinleye, Ph.D. “Every gift makes a difference in the lives of students and expands the impact of this great university on the world.”

NCCU received more than $2.5 million of the $7.23 contributed by 3,913 alumni, who responded generously to the ongoing “Every Eagle. Every Year.” initiative during the fiscal year that ended June 30. Many of the new donors were millennial graduates, with alumni graduating in 2000 or later comprising nearly 40 percent of all contributors – a 20-percent increase over fiscal year 2015-2016.

“A successful fundraising year is always exciting, especially one that includes new donors,” said Harriet Frink Davis, Ph.D., vice chancellor for Institutional Advancement. “NCCU’s culture of philanthropy is continuously developing. The continued success of NCCU’s annual giving campaign is the result of the commitment and generosity of our alumni and supporters.”

North Carolina Central University prepares students to succeed in the global marketplace. Consistently ranked as a top Historically Black College or University, NCCU offers flagship programs in the sciences, education, law, business, nursing and the arts. Founded in 1910, NCCU remains committed to diversity in and access to higher education. Our alumni excel in a wide variety of academic and professional fields.